How can you forecast the impact of your work on your team's goals?

1 Define your work scope

The first step to forecast the impact of your work on your team's goals is to define your work scope. Your work scope is the specific tasks, deliverables, and outcomes that you are responsible for within a given time frame. You can use a work breakdown structure (WBS) to break down your work scope into smaller and manageable units. A WBS can help you identify the dependencies, resources, and risks involved in your work scope.

2 Align your work scope with your team's goals

The next step is to align your work scope with your team's goals. Your team's goals are the desired results that your team wants to achieve within a certain period. You can use a SMART framework to make sure that your team's goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. A SMART framework can help you clarify the purpose, criteria, and timeline of your team's goals. You can then map your work scope to your team's goals and see how they are related and supportive of each other.

4 Calculate the expected value and variance of your work scope

The fourth step is to calculate the expected value and variance of your work scope. The expected value is the weighted average of the three-point estimates for each unit of your work scope. The variance is the measure of how much the actual outcome may differ from the expected value. You can use a formula to calculate the expected value and variance of your work scope. The formula is:

Expected value = (Optimistic + 4 x Most likely + Pessimistic) / 6

Variance = ((Pessimistic - Optimistic) / 6) ^ 2

The expected value and variance can help you determine the probability and range of your work scope.

5 Compare your work scope with your team's goals

The fifth step is to compare your work scope with your team's goals. You can use a graphical tool such as a Gantt chart to visualize the relationship between your work scope and your team's goals. A Gantt chart can help you see the start and end dates, dependencies, milestones, and progress of your work scope and your team's goals. You can then analyze the gaps, overlaps, and risks between your work scope and your team's goals.

6 Adjust your work scope or your team's goals

The final step is to adjust your work scope or your team's goals. Based on your comparison, you may need to make some changes to your work scope or your team's goals to ensure that they are realistic, feasible, and aligned. You can use a feedback loop to communicate and collaborate with your team members and stakeholders. A feedback loop can help you solicit and incorporate feedback, suggestions, and corrections to your work scope or your team's goals.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?